Snowplow



May 10, 1932. G. c. soULE ET AL SONWPLOW Filed Aug. l. 1950 3 Sheets-Sheet SOM.

Iv VEN Toma".

Joh n B. Woodbury.

George C.J`o1lle.

May l0, 1932. G, C, SOULE ET AL 1,858,212

SONWPLOW Filed Aug. 1, 195o 5 sheets-sheet 2 I/vvf/v Toffs.

May 10, 1932. G. c. SOULE ET AL SONWPLOW 3 Sheet-Sheef.

Filed Aug. 1, 1930 ro/Zn Woodb ulg.

Geol'jyc C. Jou le Patented May l0, V1932 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE GEORGE C. SOULE AND JOHN B. WOODBUR'IYVOF SOUTH PORTLAND, MAINE, ASSIG-NORS TO MAINE STEEL PRODUCTS COMPANY, OF PORTLAND, MAINE, A CORPORATION OF MAINE SN OWPLOW Application led August 1, 1930. Serial No'. 472,236.

Stated in general terms, the invention hereinafter to be described relates to truck or tractor driven machines employed for the purpose of clearing the highways of nsnow,

s and the particular object sought 1n the 1nvention is to provide improved raising and .lowering gear for the wings of these machmes.

In the practical plowing of snow the variability of snow conditions is very extreme and these varyin conditions occur not so much in different istricts, on ditl'erent roads or at diierent times, as in rapid succession on a stretch of road short enough to be covered in a small space of time.

To handle these extremely Variable conditions adjustability in positioning the wings of the plow becomes necessary. The greater extent to which the wings are made adjustable the more varying conditions the plow can handle.

The frequency of variation in conditions requires correspondingly frequent adjustment of the wings. Any delays therefore that are incidental to wing adjustment tend to cut down the amount of plowing that can be done with a piece of equipment. Theretore, not only is adjustability of wing necessary and advisable to plowing the snow, but speed of adjustability is necessary and advisable to plow the greatest possible quantity of snow in a given time.

'l he purpose of the selective wing action is to create greater adjustability than has heretofore been possible and at the same time to create quicker adjustability. By greater adjustability is meant not only the degree of distance through which the wings are adjustable but a greater number of types of adjustability.

To illustrate, suppose a stretch of highway covered with a moderate depth of new fallen snow which the truck or tractor has power enough to plow with both wings extended and Hat on the surface of the road, and that on the right hand side there are frequent obstructions such as mail boxes, and on the lett hand or traffic side. moving vehicles are being met. Under the selective wing control the left hand wing can be adjusted to fold in out of the way of traiic, the right hand Wing can be adjusted to be raised in a level position yto clear the top of the mail boxes and drop down to clean the road beyond the mail box. n

A little farther along on tle same road high snow. banks piled up by previous plowin gs might be encountered. For this the left hand or tratc wing can be lett down to clear the road or folded in to pass traiiic while the right hand wing may be raised and lowered either in a sloping position to push back the accumulated side banks or in a flat position to lower the tops of side banks.

, Again still higher side banks may be encountered so solidly frozen that any wing which encounters the middle of such bank would exert sufficient leverage on the traction of the propelling vehicle as to turn it and make it possible to steer. The greater height to which the selective wing action can raise the wing permits it to elevate the wing over the top of the bank lowering it down to take just so much snow oft' the top as the propelling vehicle can take without diverting it from its course and making it impossible to steer.

ln all the above mentioned varying conditions one distinct superiority of the selective wing control is that the inner end of the push arm member which holds the wing out and takes the horizontal strain of the snow moves up and down automatically with the wing so that whether the wing is down low or up high it is still supported in its out position by an approximately horizontal member which prevents it from folding in under the snow pressure.

Snow plows built heretofore have had the inner end of this push arm either in -a fixed position or subject to manual adjustmentwhich requires the propelling vehicle to be stopped and forces the operator to get out ot the cab and raise the inner end of the push arm for high work and repeat the performance in the reverse direction when low work is again encountered.

The push arm must be approximately parallel to the ground because if it is sloped outward the pressure of the snow will fold in the wing so that the wing no longer plows.

If it is sloped outward and downward it imposes an undue strain on the rigging and wing supports which usually results in breakage if the angle is permitted to become too acute. These were the difficulties in earlier plows.

With the inner end of the push arm in a fixed position the upward or downward movement of the win g is very limited whereas with the push arm moving up and down with a wing, the wing is ready for action at any height to which it can be adjusted.

Snow plows have been built with wings that move up and down in a level position and snow plows have been built with wings that fold. Snow plows have been built with wings that move up and down in a sloping position, each of such types of snow plows best suiting some particular condition.

The adjustability of the inner end of the push arm in our selective wing control permits the operator conveniently and quickly to change one piece of equipment at will from one to the other of these methods enabling the single piece of equipment successfully to meet all the conditions which could be met by the three types above mentioned.

Our present conception of wing elevating gear contemplates a structure embodying features which enable the operator of the snow plow to meet varying road conditions and overcome obstacles not easily surmountable with apparatus constructed on lines of our former invention.

For instance, in our present wing hoist the inner end of the push arm, the element which braces and holds the rearward end of the wing against the thrust of the snow, is capable of being elevated simultaneously with the lifting of the outer end which is attached to the wing.

This insures greater stability to the wing when under excessive outside pressure, as for instance, when trimming the tops of high and compact shoulders of snow at the roadside, for in this instance the thrusting force is applied normally, or end on to the push arm, whereas in previous plows this pressure was obliquely applied to the arm, tending to jack-knife it, the inner end of the arm being at a lower elevation than its outer end.

The vforward end of the wing, in our presnt arrangement, may be raised either by a direct cable lift or by a` differential action of the hoisting elements, the latter method lowering the speed and the distance travelled by one-half.

Furthermore, by operating the hoist so that to all intents and purposes the lifting cables are directly connected to the respective ends of the wing the latter may be raised or lowered into various substantially horizontal positions. Asthe inner end of the push arm may be made to rise Simultaneis normally presented to it, the operator` is enabled, with the wing in horizontal order. to cut a broad fiat shoulder off the bank of snow and dispose of it outwardly of the latter to better advantage than is possible with the ordinary, conventional type of snow removing apparatus.

According to our invention the wing is capable of being swung compactly against the side of the snow plow standards when being transported to and from the location to be cleared of snow.

The character of the invention may best be understood by reference to the description found in the following specification when taken in connection with the accompanying drawings in which is disclosed an embodiment which. at the present time, we consider preferable to other possible forms in which the invention might be carried out. In the drawings:

Fig. l is a fragmentary side elevation of a snow plow shown equipped with apparatus according to our invention, the wing being indicated in two dierent horizontal positions.

Fig. 2 is a fragmentary plan view of the same.

Fig. 3 illustrates a hydraulically operated lifting jack connection which supplies the power to raise the wing.

Fig. 4 shows the wing elevated a lshort distance from the ground. the front end being raised by the differential method of operation.

Fig. 5 illust-rates t-hc wing elevated and swung int-o its housed position against the upright columns of the snow plow frame.

Fig. 6 is a fragmentary plan view of Fig. 5.

Fig. 7 is a diagrammatical view of the cables and blocks employed in the hoisting gear, and

' Fig. 8 is a perspective view of one of the slides which operate on the real` upright ot the snow plow.

Referring to the drawings and especially to Fig. 1, P represents the mold board. F the. sill'or lower frame. and S one of the shoes of the snow plow. Other parts of the snow plow not intimately connected with the present invention are omitted.

Upright beams 1 and 2 constitute the forward and rearward standards of the snow plow. On these beams operate. respectively.l the slide members 3 and 4 which are suitably secured for vertical movement on the beams bv bearing members 5 and 6.

'To the slide 3 is hinged the wing plate 7 by means of the pivot pin 8. and extending through the. wing plate and the chafing plate 9. which latter is secured to the wing 10. is a bolt 11. Thus is provided horizontal and vertical rotation of the wing from the pivotal points 8 and 11, respectively.

ously with its outer end-so that the thrust 10 bolt 18.

end of the arm.

Revolubly mounted in the slide 3, over the pin 12, is a sheave 13, and extending upmay be passed for the purpose hereinafter described. A

On the slide 4 are laterally projecting flanges 16, pivotally secured to-and between which is a rocking plate 17 revoluble on the On the outer portion of this rocking plate is pivotally connectedby the bolt 19, one end of the push arm 20 comprisingtwo telescoping members adapted of'adjustment to provide greater or lesser lengths of the push arm.

The opposite end of the push arm is secured to the wing by a construction substantially similar to that employed at the slide end, the bolt 21 being the pivoting element at the wing Two ears 22 project rearwardly from the slide 4 adapted to receive a bolt or pin 23 through holes 22a in the ears, as will be later described.

Revolubly mounted beneath the platform 24 is a sheave 25. and mounted on the platform 24 is another sheave 26. These two sheaves are idlers and simply revolve on their axes when the cables are passing around them.

A horizontal beam 27 makes connections, on

each side of the snow plow, with the tops of the two upright members 1 apd 2, and transverse members 28 and 29 complete the tying together of the whole superstructure.

A double tackle, comprising the blocks 30 and 30b having each two sheaves 31, is suspended from a point on the superstructure indicated as at 32. An idler sheave 33 hangs from its point of connection with the transverse member 29 as indicated at 34, and anim other idler sheave 35 depends from the eyebolt 36.

ln Fig. 7 a diagrammatical lay-out of the hoisting cables and sheaves in operative positions is shown. ln the complete assembly there are three separate cables and nine sheaves involved in operating each wing. Cable C is the one to which the initial strain is applied b v the hydraulic jack J (see Fig. rlhe cable Ca serves the forward end of the wing and cable Cb the rearward end thereof.

lit will be observed that a plate 37, secured to the cable Ca in any approved manner, is adapted to be positioned between the two ears 14 before described. securing the plate and the cable Ca to the slide 3 when the bolt 15 is inserted in the holes 14a and the hole 37 with which there is relative alignment. Likewise, on the cable Cb there is secured a plate 38 which, when disposed between the D ears 22 and the bolt 23 is passed through the 5 one end being secured to the block 30, at y and its opposite end ixed on the superstructure at also that cable C has one dead end on the block 30, at rw, and that cable C has one dead end as indicated at z, Fig. 3. V

In describing the operation of our wing hoisting apparatus we refer first to Fig. 1 wherein is shown the wing 10 resting on the ground, with the bolts 15 and 23 in place, securing the plates 37 and 38 to the slides 3 and 4, respectively.

`Wlen a sufficient lifting strain is applied to the cable C the wing is raised as shown in dotted lines, to an upper plane in substantial parallelism with that in which it was originally disposed. The block 30b has lowered and a portion 8 of the cable Ca becomes slackened, and in this particular movement of the parts the inner end of the push arm 20 has also been raised, so that its position with respect to the wing has not been materially changed. The cable CEl opera-tes to all intents and purposes as if directly secured to the forward end of the wing.

ln Fig. 4 the rearward end of the wing is shown as raised in a manner similar to that illustrated in Fig. 1, but the forward end is subject to a differential action of the hoist. The bolt 15 having been withdrawn, the plate 37 can now pass upwardly with the cable and the weight of the front end of the wing is supported by the sheave 13. rlhe frontend in this instance rises but one-half the distance as does the rearward end of the wing.

lin snow removing apparatus it is desirable. if not absolutely essential, that the wings. when returning the snow plow over cleared highways, should be housed. or brought into close relation to the upright standards of the snow plow, and in Fig. 5 the parts are shown disposed as they will be in accomplishing this object.

By removing the bolt 23 the slide 4 remains in its lowered position, rest'ng on the stop plate 39, the inner end of the push arm also remaining down. The forward end of the push arm, however, is being elevated and at the same time drawn inwardly, describing an arc struck from the pivotal point of the arm on the slide. The position of the wing at this time may best be seen by reference to Fig. 6.

As no extreme upward movement of the forward end of the Wing is necessary in this housing operation the dilferential method of raising it is preferred, although it is obvious that it might be raised 1'n a manner illustrated in Fig. 1, b v allowing the bolt 15 to remain in place. In the drawings arrows adjacent the cables indicate the direction of their movements when raising the wing.

The above described selective wing control may be operated by any form of power appl'- cation and a single power unit can accomplish all the things above described with a wing. The three points of the wing, namely, the

front end of the wing, the rear end of the wing and the inner endof the push arm support are all handled by a single hoist.

The selective wing arrangement enables a single hoist to raise the above mentioned three points of the wing at substantially the same speed pei'` minute creating an approximately level wing, or it can raise the rear end of the wing and the inner end of the push arm at one speed and the front end at approXlmately one-half the speed of the rear end creating a sloping wing, or it can raise the front and rear ends of the wings without raising the inner end of the push arm at all which creates a folding wing. It also holds the inner end of the push arm down as well as up in all points of its travel so that it will not be forced out of position by snow pressure.

In the present invention there is provided a four-fold amplification` of the raising capacity of the wing hoist mechanism. The power jack, illustrated in Fig. 3, supplies a two-fold increase and the double blocks enlarge this by two. Thus in response to every inch of movement of the jack plunger a movement increased to four inches obtains at the lifting plates 37 and 38.

The accelerated speed at which it is possible to raise the wings reduces materially the time usually consumed in performing this operation on the ordinary type of snow plow, as usually equipped, and it seems, therefore, very obvious that the advantage accruing by employing our method of handling this work cannot but commend itself to those engaged in the snow-removing business.

What we therefore claim and desire to secure by Letters Patent is:-

1. In a snow plow, the combination with a frame, and a wing having a universally adjustable connection therewith, of a push arm slidably mounted on the frame at its inner end and pivoted at its outer end to the wing to follow the adjustment thereof and functioning as a transverse bracing strut to brace the wing against the pressure of the snow thereagainst in any and all positions of the wing, a cable hoist for said wing and means for attaching the slidable end of the push arm to the cable hoist to simultaneously actuate it.

2. In a snow plow, a frame, a wing having both pivotal and sliding connection at its forward end to the side of said frame whereby the wing may be folded inwardly towards the side of the frame and adjusted vertically upwardly and downwardly with reference to the side of the frame, a push arm slidably mounted upon the side of the frame for vertical movement relative thereto and pivoted to the wing adjacent the rear end thereof to follow the vertical movement of such wing whereby such push arm functions as a transverse bracing strut to brace the wing against the pressure of the snow thereon in any and all positions of the wing, and means whereby said wing may be selectively both folded inwardly and adjusted vertically relative to said frame.

3. In a snow plow, a frame, a wing having both pivotal and sliding Connection at its forward end to the side of said frame whereby the wing may be both folded inwardly towards the side of the frame and adjusted vertically upwardly and downwardly with reference to the side of the frame, a push arm slidably mounted upon the side of thc frame for vertical movement relative thereto and fastened to the wing to follow the vertical movements of such wing whereby such push arm functions as a transverse bracing strut to brace the wing against the pressure of the snow thereon in any and all positions of the wing, means whereby said wing may be positively moved to selectix e positions of adjustment, and means for selectively including the slidable mount of the push arm in the operation of the wing moving means.

4. In a snow plow, a frame, an adjustable wing having both pivotal and sliding mounting at its forward end on the side of said frame whereby the wing may be folded inwardly towards the side of the frame and adjusted vertically upwardly and downwardly with reference to the side of the frame, a push arm slidably mounted upon the side of the frame for vertical movement relative thereto and connected to the wing to follow the vertical movement of said wing whereby to brace the wing against the pressure of the snow thereon in any and all positions of the wing, means to move selectively said wing to positions of adjustment, and means for selectively including the slidable mount of the push arm in the operation of the wing mov'- mg means.

5. In a snow plow, the combination with a frame and a wing having a universally adjustable connection therewith of a push arm slidably mounted on the frame at its inner end and connected at its outer end to the wing to follow the adjustments thereof and functioning as a transverse bracing strut to brace the wing against the pressure of the snow in any and all positions of the wing, a take-up means, a flexible connector operated thereby, change speed devices operably included with said flexible connector, said flexible connector being permanently connected with said wing, and means for selectively connecting it with the slidable arm mount.

6. In a snow plow, the combination with a frame and a wing having a universally adjustable connection therewith, of a push arm having its inner end slidably mounted on the frame and its outer end fastened to the wing to follow the adjustments thereof, and a means for simultaneously adjusting both ends of said push arm.

7. In a snow plow, the combination with a frame and a wing having a universally adjustable connection therewith, of a push arm y having its inner end slidably mounted on the frame and its outer end fastened to the wing to follow vthe adjustments thereof, and a single means for simultaneously adjusting both ends of said push arm. 1

8. In a snow plow, fore and aft standards, a slide cooperating with each standard, a wing having vertical and horizontal pivotal connections with the forward slide, a push arm having its inner end pivotally connected to said rear slide and its outer end fastened to said wing to follow the adjustments of said slide and wing, and means for simultaneously adjusting both ends of said push arm.

9. In a snow plow, fore and aft standards, a slide cooperating with each standard, a wing plate vertically pivoted to the forward slide, a wing horizontally pivoted to said wing plate, a rocker horizontally pivoted t0 said rear slide, a push arm having its inner end pivoted to said rocker and its outer end fastened to said wing to follow the adjustments of said slide and wing, and means for simultaneously adjusting both ends of said push arm.

10. In a snow plow, a frame having front and rear slides, a wing pivoted to said front slide, a push arm pivoted at its inner end to said rear slide and at its outer` end to said wing, and means for simultaneously adjusting both ends of said push arm.

11. In a snow plow, a frame having front and rear slides, a wing pivoted to said front slide, a push arm pivoted at its inner end to said rear slide and at its outer end to said wing, means whereby said wing may be selectively both folded inwardly and adjusted vertically relative to the frame, and means for selectively including said rear slide in the operation of the wing adjustingl means.

12. In a snow plow, a frame aving front and rear slides a push arm pivoted at its inner end to said rear slide, a wing pivoted to said front slide and to the outer end of said push arm, and means selectively operable to raise the front and rear ends of the wing and the inner end of the push arm simultaneously so as to create a substantially level wing, or to raise the rear end of the wing and the inner end of the push arm at one speed and the the front end of the wing at a different speed so as to create a sloping wing, or to raise the front and rear ends of the wing without raising the inner end of the push arm so as to create a folding wing.

13. In a snow plow, a frame having front and rear slides, a push arm pivoted at its inner end to said rear slide, a wing pivoted t0 said front slide and to the outer end of said push arm, and a single means selectively operable to raise the front and rear ends of the wing and the inner end of the push arm simultaneously so as to create a substantially level wing, or to raise the rear end of the wing and the inner end of the push arm at one speed and the front end of the Wing at a diii'erent speed so as to create a sloping wing, or to raise the front and rear ends of the wing without raising the inner end of the push arm so as to create a folding win In testimony whereof we a tures.

our signa- GEORGE C. SOULE. JOI-INJS. WOODBURY. 

